Slitting means



ul 31, 1934. i G. B. BIRCH 8,

' V SLITTING MEANS Original Filed June 9, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 31,1934. G. B,- BIRCH 1,968,242

SLITTING MEA'NS Original Filed June 9, 192'! 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PatentedJuly 31, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,968,242 SLITTING MEANSApplication June 9, 1927, Serial No. 197,554 Renewed February 10, 1931 3Claims.

This invention relates generally to means for slitting flexiblematerial.

Certain fabric articles, such as bandages, are produced from wide websof material by a slit- 5 ting process with the result that the rawslitted edges tend to unravel when the bandage is put into use, and thisis especially true if the bandage is washed and used more than once. Themain object and feature of this invention is to 16 provide means forslitting such webs, whereby the slitted edges of flexible material willnot unravel so readily as heretofore.

In the accompanying drawings the invention is disclosed in severalconcrete and preferred forms in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional View, substantially on the plane of line 1-1 ofFig. 2, of a cutting member that may be used in connection with myinvention.

Fig. 2 is a view'in side elevation with parts broken away and insection, of the member shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing a modified form of theinvention.

Fig. 4 is also a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a still further modifiedform of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of a member similar to that of Fig. 2 butshowing a third modification.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view substantially on the plane of line 66 of Fig.5.

Fig. 7 is a somewhat diagrammatic view of the cutting element associatedwith a backing member.

Fig. 8 is a view looking in the direction of arrow 8 of Fig. '7.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view of a slitted-section produced by the methodand means of this invention.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view substantially on the plane of line l10 ofFig.9.

I have found that, by clamping or pressing flexible material during theprocess of slitting and at the point of slitting, the slitted edges ofthe slitted sections become more highly compressed than the remainder ofthe material and that this prevents or diminishes the tendency of theedges to unravel. This feature is illustrated in Figs. 9 and where 1indicates a slitted section and 2 the slitted edges shown more highlycompressed than the remainder of the material. This action is producedby a rotatable cutting member 3 such as is shown in Fig. 1 whichdiscloses a disc-like member having circumferential bearing surfacesting member 5. This slitting member is here in the form of a ring orannulus that projects out through slot/6 between the bearing surfacesand is centered by a cushion or spring here shown as a body of rubber 7held between cheeks 8 which latter are secured together by screws 9.

It will be seen that when this cutting member is,

brought against a backing member such as 10- in Figs. 7 or 8, theannulus is depressed within the cutting member at the point where itengages the backing member and consequently the flexible material 11 isclamped with a rolling action by bearing surfaces 4 and the slittingtakes place in the zone of the compressed material.

The disc-like member is rotatably mounted in cutter lever 11 which ispivotally supported at 12 and which, when brought into engagement withthe backing member, is held under tension by spring 13.

It will be understood that the annular slitting member may be heldyieldingly in different ways. In Fig. 3, for instance, springs 14 thatpress against the face of the slitting member are utilized. Thesesprings tend to resist movement of the annulus but do not prevent it.Similarly in Fig. 4 friction member 15 performs the same function assprings 14. In Figs. 5 and 6 spiral springs 16 form a resting surfacesimilar to rubber cushion 7 of Figs. 1 and 2.

I claim;

1. Slitting means including: a rotary backing member, and a cooperatingrotary cutting member, whereby a web of flexible material may be ledbetween said members and clamped by a rolling action, said cuttingmember including an annular slitting member substantially concentricwith and yieldingly projecting from said cutting member and engaging thesurface of the backing member. I

2. Slitting means including: a rotary backing member, and a cutterelement consisting of a rotatable member having two circumferentialbearing surfaces to engage the backing member and a yieldingly mountedannular slitting member intermediate the bearing surfaces.

3. A slitting element comprising a rotatable member having twocircumferential bearing surfaces and a yieldingly mounted annularslitting member intermediate the bearing surfaces.

GUSTAF' BIRGER. BIRCH.

4, and anannular and yieldingly mounted slit-

